Hyderabad: Coding, AI-enabled research tools, and databases are no longer skills confined to engineering students. Law colleges across Telangana are increasingly integrating them into classrooms as the legal profession rapidly adapts to artificial intelligence.Heads of some of the state’s leading law colleges said they are consciously incorporating AI tools and technology-driven learning into classrooms as legal education gradually shifts from rote, content-driven teaching to practical, application-oriented training.While NALSAR University of Law already offers a course on Artificial Intelligence, Law and Justice through the NPTEL platform, Osmania University is considering introducing a paper on law and technology from August this year.AI tools, LLMs become part of curriculumTo prepare students for a technology-driven legal industry, faculty members said they are setting up AI labs, centres of excellence, and partnerships with law firms to familiarise students with emerging technologies.“AI tools and LLMs (Large Language Models) are now part of the curriculum. In fact, more than 10,000 students have registered for my AI, Law and Justice course,” said Krishna Ravi Srinivas, adjunct professor and director of the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Law at NALSAR University of Law.The course covers topics such as the introduction to AI, the use of AI in law in India, AI and human rights, and AI and the Constitution, among others.He added that the varsity also offers a separate course on AI governance.Faculty members said many law schools are attempting to combine traditional legal education with AI-based learning, ethics, and critical evaluation to prepare students for modern legal practice.“We use Clio and similar systems for simulation exercises to demonstrate how companies handle matter management, client communication, and compliance. It serves as a teaching framework to explain the operational aspects of legal practice in a digitally evolving environment,” said Pujari Ravisekhararaju, director of ICFAI Law School.Citing a study by Vanderbilt Law School, he said lawyers who effectively use AI tools are likely to achieve better professional outcomes.Legal education must become application-focusedAt a time when AI tools are increasingly handling research and drafting work, industry experts said law colleges must focus more on application-based learning rather than rote methods.“It no longer makes sense to simply ask students to write research projects. Students already have access to tools that can perform many of these tasks,” said Rohan George, co-founder of Adidem, which builds AI legal assistants for companies.He said students should instead be trained to explain the reasoning behind legal conclusions, think critically, and handle negotiations and client interactions.Rohan, a legal-tech entrepreneur, said adaptability would become increasingly important as AI gains wider acceptance across the legal industry.“Students joining law courses now should learn how to use AI tools responsibly while also developing critical thinking, analytical ability, and interpersonal skills,” he said.He added that some law students are already experimenting with vibe coding, an AI-driven software development approach, and building proof-of-concept legal tools to improve their career prospects.Industry looking for tech-savvy lawyersLegal firms said they are increasingly hiring graduates who are comfortable working with AI tools and technology-assisted systems.“AI is already handling several routine tasks, including legal research and document review, reducing the manpower required for such work,” said Vishwam Jindal, CEO of Webnyay.“So, when we hire, we look for students who can adapt to changing technology. We provide training for four months, and only those who can effectively work with AI tools are retained,” he added.Industry representatives said many fresh graduates struggle during training because they are unable to adapt quickly to changing technologies and AI-assisted workflows.They added that as AI increasingly handles large-scale language analysis, drafting, and documentation work, students entering the legal profession would need to focus more on complex legal reasoning, strategy, negotiation, and client-facing responsibilities.New roles emerging in legal sectorAcademicians and industry experts said emerging technologies are creating new opportunities in the legal sector, ranging from online dispute resolution to legal case management.They said AI could also help courts tackle one of their biggest challenges — case pendency — by automating routine processes and speeding up dispute resolution.“There are going to be new fields such as online dispute resolution and alternate dispute resolution. Even small consumer disputes can increasingly be handled online,” said Srikrishna Deva Rao, vice-chancellor of NALSAR University of Law.He noted that cheque-bounce cases continue to contribute significantly to court pendency and said some firms are already attempting to address such issues using AI-based technologies.Rao added that AI could also help revive systems such as Gram Nyayalayas and improve the functioning of administrative roles such as court managers.Legal-tech experts said new roles such as legal engineers, legal product managers, legal case managers, and AI-assisted compliance professionals are likely to emerge in the coming years.“It is very hard to predict how technology will change the legal field over the next five or 10 years. But the ability to use technology and adapt to change will be key for anyone to succeed,” said Jindal.
